I used to live in Norfolk and usually sailed Willoughby (flat water, no current) or Chick's Beach (small waves, heavy current depending on conditions) depending on wind direction. If you have a couple of extra hours the trip to Hatteras is well worth it. If I had time I would drive to Hatteras even though I lived in Norfolk.
Have fun!

Thanks for the info. I've sailed Salvo before, one of my favorite spots! I think if I have the time will try to sail OBX. Anybody sailing on Wed? Forecast looks good for OBX. Not sure I'll get out of work early enough to make that happen though. hope we can sail local.

Thanks for the info. I've sailed Salvo before, one of my favorite spots! I think if I have the time will try to sail OBX. Anybody sailing on Wed? Forecast looks good for OBX. Not sure I'll get out of work early enough to make that happen though. hope we can sail local.

The forecast looks awesome, classic Hatteras Summer! SW every afternoon for the foreseeable future. With sunset about 8:15, it's light enough to sail until about 8:30 or 8:45 these days... Hope to see you!_________________formerly known as hodad.andy

I'm going to Virginia (Norfolk area) for a two week work trip. Any advice on where to windsurf in the local area. Hoping to catch a few days of sailing.

Depends on your skill level. Definitely contact WET. They roll Intro's to windsurfing and back when I lived in the area shepherded beginners through at Mill Creek / Fort Monroe in Hampton on the summer weekends. That's long board sailing and if windy glassy flat water.
Nobody's a fan of W'by's but the goto launch for SW after the closure of the Day's Inn at the point north of the W'by launch. I am not sure where to launch at Chick's Beach these days, given all the waterfront development, but on a strong NE there's some awesome tidal sailing to be had on an outgoing tide. Further out is Fort Story and First Landing State Park where I used to go ever so often. Chick's Beach works on NE but you need to check the tide chart for in or outgoing tide. During summer - say if there's a tropical storm down in Florida and a High set up over eastern Canada it's as good as it gets anywhere right there in Hampton Roads. There also used to be a launch at a place called East Beach with relatively easy launching behind a breakwater. Again, ask WET, for the current situation.

As far as Hatteras goes. If you want or need to go the no-logistics route, i.e. just drive up and go sail; I've rented at Ocean Air in Avon a couple years ago on a short biz trip back to the area. They used to have a shag with their rental/demo gear behind the shop that you sail right away from but that's been taken by one of the recent storms I was told, so it's a bit of wade now from behind the shop to the wind line. Ocean Air works on NE as well and you can get to the reef from there. Further North in Rodanthe there's Hatteras Sail shop; similar situation but give them a call. Again, development has eaten up quite some of the open space we used to have for parking, rigging and launching. Doesn't work on a strong NE because it gets quite shallow. The above is all sound side.
Ocean sailing means dealing with logistics, i.e. carry your gear. Easiest access probably from Canadian Hole, which works on SW ocean side, assuming the convection is in place to bring the wind down to the beach behind the dunes. If that's not happening, just sail sound side... lovely.
Hope this helps.

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